Clutch-control device



w- COTTERILL LuTcH coNTRoL DE'rLIE .my 5 v1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet A 1 Filed March 12, 1925 July 5, 1927.

1,634,983 l w. COTTERILL cLUTcH CONTROL DEVICE `Filed March l2. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 in elevation and the: mec

Patented July 5, 1927.

Lenses.

PATENT orifice.

l WALTEBICOTTEEIEL, oErHiLADELrHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

`CLUTCH-CONTROL DEVICE.

Applicatie@inefiviviayia, 1525. seriai'l'No. 29,780. i

wfheprincipal 'object'oi thisY invention is rto 'provide novel means forfacilitating Vthe Shifting of] gea-rs kforming Vav partV oi thetransmission .of motor vehicles and the. lili'e. more specificobject'ot` the invention is to provide ymea-ns tor automatically andmomentarily re-engaging the` 'clutch after the initialdisengagement'whereby the gear- Ishitting operation which follows atinaldisengage-ment of the clutch will be materially facilitated.' Theinventionfnrther resides in the struc; turalpdetailsV of the `novelmechanism provided for the `above statedl purposes.

' A device madein accordance with my inventionis illust-ratedy in theattached drawings, in whichf l f Figurel is sectional view transverselyof the clutch shaft showinor the clutch pedal llianism linterconnectingthe pedal with theshaft;

, Figi2 is arear elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. l; f

4:Figf is a-vsection on the line 3'-3, Fig. 2; i Fig is a view inperspective ofa pawl constituting an element of Atherdevice;

Fig. 5 is a View similar'fto F ig. 3 but showingtlie partsin the'relative positions assumed after the'initial disengagement and.r

tlie consequent r-e-eng`a`gement offthe clutch; l Fig. 6 is a vreduced`rmore 'or-less diagram.'- matic view illustrating the device applied to acommon formfot' clutch, the latter being shown in section ,1*

Fig. y7 is a side elevation of agmodiication tion; I. Y Y f Y Fig. 8 isarear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 7'; i

` l ig. 9 is a sectiony on the line'9-9, Fig.

`8',and I v `:'Fig. 10 is a view `in perspective of the pawl used in theinodilied form of the device.

4.5 In shifting the gears ofinotor vehicles,

` it has been found yof material assistance, particularly with multipledisk'clutches,` to

momentarily re-engagethe clutch following an initialdisengagementsuiiicient'to permitV aA movement of the gearrshitt lever to the neutralposition. y Inithis procedure., the *op` erator of the vehicle'inshifting gears disengao'es the clutch jsuHiCiently, as previouslystatec. to permit disengaging the gearsv'and .55. to vadvance thegearishifting lever to the plied.

of the device 'withinfthelscope'ofthe inven? neutral position.Immediately following this disengagement of the gears, the clutch `ispermitted to reen'gag'e, andthe final shift of the gears into meshfollows al secondand final disengagement of the clutch. i

In my present invention, I liav-eprovided a mechanical device forautomatically eiectingthe momentary ire-engagement of the clutch withr anormal straight through movement of tlieclutchpedal. l

Vith reference to thedrawings, l indi- Cates ashaft to which the movableclutch element or elements is operatively connected, l

and 2 the pedal ordinarily iXed to the clutch shaft and providing meanswhereby the Op-r vconstitutes a means forV supporting the pedal 2 in Y a'normal elevated position Yassumed while the clutch is engaged, and theclutch, Y

asis customary, will 'include springs which normally retain'the clutchelements in engagement.

In Fig. forni 'of clutch to which' the :device: isV ap- This clutchcomprises a relatively fixed member 26 carried by ashatt 27 and adaptedto be engaged by the relatively mov-` able cone-shaped element 28. Thislatter is spliii'ed'to a shaft 29 in alignment. with but independent ofthe shaft 27 .and the.- move'- ment of the element 28 "axiallyof theshaft 29 .into Yand'out of engagementwith the member v26 is controlledby the joperator through the pedal 2. stance, the shaft l is providedwith an l`arm V30 suitably connected to a collar 131 which seats in anannular recess 82-in the hub of the element- 28, and'counterclockwiserotation of the shaftl through the pedal 2 accordingly resultsv inanaxial movement the element 28.0nvthesha-t 29 against theV tension of a,spring 33 confined-between the end of the hub portion of the element 28and a xed collar 34. l

rThe shaft is provided in the present instance with a section`4 ofincreased diameter, and surrounding this enlarged portion il lI providea sleeve 5 which is free to inove circumferentially of the shaft withinpre! determined limits, asV hereinafter described. The sleeve 5 includesa. lug or ear 6 projecting yfrom the periph-eryfand to this lug or 6, Ihave illustratedy asimple In the present infill lil

ear is pivotally secured, by means of a bolt Y, the pedal 2. the latterbeing provided with two spaced lugs 8, bet-neen which the said lug t5tits. as indicated in Fig. l. .the pedal 2 is also provided, as clearlyshown in lfig. l, with a semi-circular extension t) passing around thesleeve 5 and haringits einer end connected by a spring lo to the lng tion the said sleeve, the spring being secured to the treadle extension 9in the present instance by means of a holt 1t wnerebj.' the tension o't'the spring may be adjusted.

The device further comprises a pair of Side plates 12 and 13 which aresecured by the bolt T and bolts 11- and 15 to the opposite sides of theextension t) of the pedal whereby they lie one on each side of andconstitute a housing for the enlargement gl of the shaft 1 and thesleeve As shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 5 is provided with a recess 16which holds a panl 1T of a `forni clearly shown in Fig. iit, this pan'lbeing provided with trunnionsI 1S, 1b', one on each side, which inassembly are journaled in slots 19 in the side plates l2 and 13. Also asshown in Fig. 1, the part L1 of the shaft is provided in its peripherywith a groove :2O adapted to be engaged by the pawl 1T, thereby lockingthe sleeve t to the shaft. Additional means for connecting the treadlewith the shaft 1 consists ol'l pins 21 and which project from theopposite faces of the enlarged portion l of the shaft and through slots23 and in the side plates 12 and 13. i y

As shown in Fig. il, the aperture :La in the plates 12` and 13 throughwhich the shaft l projects is in the forni of a slot, thereby providingfor relative movement between the said side plates and the shaft.` andthe longitudinal axis of this slot 25 is preferably coincident with anare drawn with the axis of the bolt 7 asa center. i The lower end of theslot and the upper end ofthe slot lletrsee Fig. 1, are also preferablyformed with their longitudinal center lines on an arc whose center thelongitudinal axis of the bolt T, and these portions of each ot the slots23 and 24: may correspond in length substantially to the differencebetween the. total length of the slot Q5 and the diameter of theshaft 1. The remainder of the slots 23 and Q4 are formed with theircenter lines concentric with the shaft 1 when the shalt occupies thelower end of the slot as shown in Fig. 5. i

The operation of the device is as follows: An initial pressure upon thepedal 2 will ellect rotation of the sleeve 5 and of the shaft 1. throughthe pawl 17 engaging the recess 20, as shown in Fig. 1. Rotation of theshaft results in a disengagenient of the clutch and a partialcompression oit the spring`- 38 which tends to hold the clutch inengagement. Compression of the clutch spring increases the pressureopposing rotatation of the shaft 1 through the pedal, and when this backpressure reaches a predetern'lined amount, there is a tendency for the`pedal to pivot orturnaround the pivot bolt T. As a result ot thismovement of the pedal,` the paWl 17 is withdrawn from the recess 20,this being ellected through the movement of the side plates 12 and 13with the pedal in its oscillation about the pivot bolt "l" and theconsequent elevation of the pawl tlirough the trunnions 1S, 1S, whichare lodged in the recesses lt) in thc said side plates. rlhe slots 19provide for the relative movement between the side plates and thetrnnnions 18 of the pawl.

Withdraval of the pawl from the recess 2t) releases the shaft 1 andpermits the clutch spring 33 to .re-engage the clutch, and this reversemovement of the shaft also carries the pins .21 and 2Q into or near theends of the slots "i3 and 24C, as shown in Fig. 5 A continued pressureon the pedal accordingly results through the side plates and the pins 2land 22 in a further movement of the shaft in a countercloclnvisedirection, see Qh`ig. l, and a consequent second release of the clutch.f y

la opeating the device, the operator so times the movcinent ofthe gearshift lever that the latter is moved into the neutral posi tionimmediately following or coincident with the initial release of theclutch, the lever being held in neutral until the final release of theclutch, when it is shifted further to complete the change of gears.

lt will benoted thatthe slot 25 and those ends of the slots 23 and 24normally occupied by the pins 21 and 22 are so formed as to provide forthe movement of the pedal 2 and the side plates 12 and 1?, which movewith the pedal, around the bolt 7 as an axis, Also the spring l() whichtends to retain the pedal 2 in the normal relativej position, asshon'nin Fig. l, with respect to the shaft and the sleeve, may beadjusted to proride for a release of the pawl 17` from `the recess Q0 atthe proper moment following the initial disengagement` oit the clutch.The spring 3 insures a normal retention of thc pedal lever i? in theelevated normal position.

ltwill be apparent that there may be very material moditications in thedetails of thifi` device Without departure from the `essential featuresof the invention, and one such modi-` fication I have illustrated in`Figs. 7 to 1t), inclusive. ln this instance, the shaft 1 provided withan enlarged substantially cylindrical portion having in one side anelongated peripheral recess 3G and at the opposite side a substantiallyV-shaped recess 3T. The enlarged part 35 of the shaft is surrounded bv asleeve 3S. to `which is at` tached the pedal i, the pedal and the sleevebeing `lornied integrally in the present `in- Htl Bti

stance. "The sleeve 38 has' an inwardly pro-1 jecting lug 39 whichoccupies the recess36, the dimensions of thelug- 39 yproviding forarelative movementbetween the sleeve Vand* the shaft 1.V The sleeve`lalsohas av recess' 40 in` its inner face adapted for reception ofapawl41 adapted'to 'engage the recess 37 inthe'enlarg'ement 35 lof the shaftlto therev by'operatively connect these partstogetlierfor the initial'rotative movementzof the sha-ft through the pedal 2.

sleeve 38. The plates 44 are prevented from rotating in the presentinstance by a fixedv member 49,'to which'the said platesaresecuredfby'means ofthe bolt 46, wliichflatter I extends through a slotin thefmember 49,

shown in Fig. 7.

as 'clearly/illustrated. The slots() provides for an-angular'adjustmentof the plates 44 withrespect to the other elements whereby the positionof thev plates 44"ma'y be varied and the point of release of tliepawl 4lin the advance movement of the lever thereby adjusted as desired.

Assuming the 'partsto be in the positions shown in Fig. 7, it willbeapparent that pressure on the pedal2 will effect through the pawl 41 avcounterclockwisev angular movement of the shaft 1.15This movement ofthe 4shaft will continueuntil'the `trunnions 42 of the pawl 41 ride upinto the outwardly extending portions of the cam slots 43, which hastheeifect of retracting the pawl 41- froml the recess 37 and permittingthe reverse rotation of the shaft 1 as t-he clutch spring acts tore-engage the clutch elements. Reverse movement of the shaft 1, however,bringsthe lug 39 ofthe sleeve 3,8 into t-he for ard' end of the recess36, as shown in Fig. 9, whereby the continued downward movement of thepedal 2 results in a continuance of the counterclockwise rotation of theshaft 1 and the further and final disengagement of the clutch parts.Release of the pedal 2 by the foot of the operator results in a returnof the parts to the initial relative positions, as

It will be noted that in this form of my device the retraction of thepawl 41 is a positive one resulting from the interaction of thetrunnions 42 of the pawl and the cam slots 43.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on thegs'haftand having an operative connectionfwith the shfaftwvhereby theshaft. maybe "rotated iii-opposition to saidlresil ient means, andmechanism automatically operative in the normal movement ofsa'id leverto rotate the shaftvto momentarily release the shaft'from the leverfollowing e. predetermined movement of the shaft.

2. The combination withla rock shaft. of resilient means opposingrotationof the shaft in one direction,- -a lever journaled on the shaftand having anl operative connection with the shaft-whereby the latter`may be movedin opposition to saidresilient means, means automaticallyoperative inthe normal movement of the lever to rotate' the shaft totemporarily releasethe shaft-- from the lever, 'and'resilient means forreturning' the lever to a normal retracted position. f

3. The combination with a'froclr shaft,of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever'journaled on the shaftand normally resiliently retained in a retracted position, a pawloperatively connecting t-he lever with the shaft, secondaryinterengaging kelements on the shaftand lever providing. anl operativeconnection therebetween .with lost motionfandrmeans for automaticallydisengaging the pawl fol-V lowingv a. predetermined advance' movement ofthe lever wherebyy the aforesaidlostmotion permits returnof the shafttothe normal position. by said resilient mea-ns and consequent operativereengageinent of the shaft with the lever through said secondaryconnection.

4.v The combination with-afroclr shaft, of resilient meansy opposingrotaitionof., the shaft in one direction, a-lever'fjournaled'on theshaft, a pawl carried by the lever and operatively engaging the shaftwhereby the shaft is movable with the lever in opposition to saidresilient means, relatively fixed cam means for releasing the pawlfollowing a predetermined forward movement of the lever, independentmeans for operatively reengaging the shaft and the lever following areverse return movement of the shaft by said resilient means, andresilientv means for returning the lever to the normal retractedposition.

5. The combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on the shaft,a pawl carried by the lever and engaging the shaft whereby the shaft maybe rotated through the lever in opposition to said resilientmeans,relatively fixed plates at opposite sides of said lever, said'plates having cam slots, trunnions on said pawl l extending into saidcam slots,v the slots being so arranged that the pawl is released fromtheshaft following a predetermined forward movement of the lever fromthe normal retracted position, secondary kmeans for operativelyconnecting the lever with the shaft etleetive following release of saidpawl and return of the shaft to the normal p0si tion by isaid resilientmeans, and resilient means tending to retain the lever in the normalretracted position. i

6. l`he combination with a roel; shaft, of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft. in one direction, a lever jonrnaled on the shaft,a pawl carried by the lever and adapted to engage the shaft whereby theshaft may be rotated through the lever, resilient means tending toretain the lever in a normally retracted position,. adjustable means forreleasing the pawl from the shaft following a predetermined forward`movement of the lever from said normal retracted position, andseeomlary means for operatively connecting the lever with the shafteffective following release of said pawl and return of the shaft to thenormal position by the resilient means connected therewith.

7. The combination with a roch shaft, of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft in one direction, a lever journaled on the shaft,a pawl carried by the lever and adapted to operatively engage the shaftwhereby the shaft may be rotated through `the lever, resilient meanstending to retain the lever in a normal retracted position, arelatively-lixed element having a cam slot located adjacent the side ofsaid lever, a trminion on the pawl adapted to extend into said cam slot,said slot having parts extending eireumferentially of the shaft but withdil'l'erent radii whereby after a prede terniined forward moven'lent ofthe lever from the normal retracted position the pawl is automaticallyreleased from the shaft to permit the shaft to return to its normalposition, means for adJusting the slotted member circumferentially ofAthe shaft whereby the point of release of said pawl with `respect tothe normal position of the parts may be varied, and secondary means loropera@ tively connecting the shaft with the lever etfective :followingrelease of the pawl and return of the shaft to the normal positionwhereby continued forward movement of the lever results in a secondrotation of the shaftin opposition to its resilient` retaining means. it5. 'lhe combination with a rock shaft, of resilient means opposingrotation of the shaft in one direction, a .lever for rotating the shaftin the opposite direction, mechanis-1n connecting the lever and shaftineludingl means for momentarily releasing and thereafter reconnectingthe shaft from and with the lever following a predetermined movement ofthe shaft in opposition to said resilient means, and adjustment meanswhereby the said predeterniined movement of the shaft preceding `themomentary release may be varied. y

2). The combination with a clutch ineluding resilient means tending toretain the clutch elements in engagenient, of means for disengaging theclutch elements including an operating member, autom-atie means formomentarily disengaging the clutch from the operatiiig member during acontinuous declulching movement of the latter, and ad justinent meanswhereby the momentary disengagement may be made to occur at a prewferred point in the said continuous declulclr ing movement of theoperating member.

